Washing apparatus



April 13, 1843. G. w. DUNHAM WASHING APPARATUS Filed July 3, 1942Inventor George W. Duh ham, :5 $241 761 J l.

His Attorney.

Patented Apr. 13, 1943 WASHING APPARATUS George W. Dunham, Westport,Conn, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New YorkApplication July 3, 1942, Serial No. 449,541

6 Claims.

chamber or'vat by a,motor-driven impeller to clean dishes or otherarticles supported within the vat.

In washing machines of this type it is customary to supply a washingfluid, such as water, through a conduit connected to the vat. Theconduit is provided with a control valve, and to initiate operation ofthe machine, the motordriven impeller is started and the valve is openedto admit washing'fiuid to the vat. When the proper amount of washingfluid has been admitted to the vat to give the most eflicient washingaction, the control valve is closed and thereafter the impellercontinues to circulate the predetermined quantity of washing fluid overthe articles to be cleaned which are supported within the vat.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement forautomatically closing the control valve when apredetermined quantity ofwashing fluid has been admitted to the vat.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangementfor automatically controlling the washing fluid inlet valve of adishwashing machine which is reliable in operation,

'simple in construction and inexpensive to manu facture.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will be pointed out with particularityin theclaims annexed to and forming apart of the specification.

Briefly, in accordance with the present invention, the impeller drivingmotor is mounted so that the stator is permitted to rotate when thereaction torque exerted thereon reaches a predetermined valuecorresponding to a predetermined quantity oi'washing fluid in the vatthat is circulated by the impeller. The movement of the stator trips alatching mechanism causing the inlet valve to close whereby the flow ofwashing fluid is stopped when the desired quantity has been supplied tothe washing vat.

For a more complete understanding or my invention, reference should behad to the accompanying drawing inwhich Fig. 1 is a vertical elevationalview of a dishwashing machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a topview of the apparatusshown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detailed view 01' theautomatic valve controlling 66 with an opening apparatus and Fig. 4 issimilar to Fig. 3 except that the control apparatus is shown in adifferent operating position.

Referring to the drawing I have shown a dishwashing machine comprising acabinet having front and rear walls Wand ll, side walls l2 and the topwall l3. -To provide access to the interior of the cabinet, the top wallis provided which is closed by a suitable hinged cover H.

Mounted within the cabinet is a washing vat i5 which is open at the topto permit insertion and removal of dishes or other articles to be washedthrough the top opening in the cabinet. Suitable racks, not shown, aremounted within the vat to support article to be washed.

For the purpose of circulating or hurling washing fluid over thearticles to be washed, there isprovided a suitable impeller IB whichrotates about a vertical axis adjacent the tapered bottom portion of thevat. The impeller is connected to be driven by the rotor of a suitableelectric motor I! which is suspended beneath the bottom of the vat.

A suitable washing fluid, such as water, is supplied to the bottom ofthe vat through a conduit i8 and a control valve I9 is provided forcontrolling the flow of fluid through the conduit. It will be understoodthat when it is desired to wash dishes or other articles placed in thevat 15, the motor-driven impeller is started and the control valve I3 isopened to permit washing fluid to enter the vat. After the desiredamount of washing fluid has been admitted to the vat, the valve I9 isclosed and thereafter the impeller is continues to c'rculat w fluid overthe articles to be was ed and thereby effect a cleansing action.

According to the present invention I provide a novel arrangement forautomatically closing the valve l9 after the desired quantity of washingfluid has been admitted to the vat. This is accomplished by a mechanismwhich will now be described.

The control valve l9 has an axially movable operating member or shaft 20which is biased by any suitable means, such as a spring (not shown) sothat it normally assumes an extended position in which the valve isclosed. Pivotally mounted on-any suitable stationary support II, is alever 22 which is so arranged that when it is pivoted in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig.

. 3, it engages the free end of the valve operating member II and movesit to a This action can be accomplishedmanually by rotating 9. controlknob 23 mounted on the front wall ID of the The control knob 23 isconnected by means of a flexible shaft 24 to a rotatable cam Therefore,the sprin with dishes or other the motor and the impeller,

' pointed out before, causes to the leftso that the cabinet.

member 25 which is pivotally mounted on the support 2| adjacent thelever 22. A rotation of the control knob 23 causes a correspondingrotation of the cam 25 which engages the lever 22 and causes it torotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3.

In order to provide means for latching the control valve in-the openposition once it has been manually opened by the operator, there isprovided a latching lever 26 which cooperates the free end of a latchingpin 21 extending upwardly from the lever 22. The latching pin 21 ismounted in telescoping relation witha hollow end portion of the lever 22and is biased to the extended position by means of a spring 28. Thespring 28 bears against an enlarged end portion 29 of the latching pinwhich also serves, by engaging a restricted end portion of the lever 22,to limit the outward movement of the pin.

The stator of the motor I1 is mounted on suitable anti-friction bearings30 so that it is free to, rotate in response to reaction torque exertedthereon when the impeller I6 is operating to circulate washing fluid inthe vat. The latching lever 26 is mounted on the outer casing or statorof the motor H in any suitable manner, such as by a strap connection, sothat it is movable with the stator. i

lever 22 and maintains the valve |3 in the closed position so that themanually operated member 23 can be released. The washing fluidthen flowsinto the vat l5 through the conduit l8 and the amount of fluidcirculated or hurled by the 1mpeller l6 gradually increases and thiscauses a corresponding increase in the reaction torque exerted upon thestator of the motor |1. When the amount of fluid in the vat, andconsequently the reaction torque exerted upon the motor stator, reachesa valueat which the'reaction torque exceeds the opposing torque exertedon the stator by the spring 3|, the motor stator rotates in a clockwisedirection causing the latching lever 26 to move upwardly toward theposition shown in dotted lines. When the outer end of the latch-1 inglever clears the end of the latching pin 21, the operating member 2|| isfreed and moves to its extended, valve-closing position and in so movingcarries with it the lever 22 which is returned to its initial position,The flow of washing fluid into the vat |5is therefore stopped and theimpeller thereafter circulates the measured quantityof washing fluid inthe vat in the normal manner. When the re-' action torque ceases to beexerted on the motor stator, as when'the washing fluid is drained fromthe vat and the motor is .deenergized at the A compression spring 3|extends between a flxed support 32' and the latching lever 26, thespring being held in place by a suitable fastening bolt 33. The spring3| biases the rotatable motor stator by applying a torque thereto whichis opposite to the reaction torque. Referring to Figs.

3 and 4 of the drawing, it is assumed that "the impeller pitch and thedirection of rotation of the motor is such that the reaction torquetends I to rotate the stator in a 3| is arranged so that it opposes thereaction torque and tends to rotate the stator in a counterclockwisedirection. Normally the spring 3| forces the lever 26 into contact witha head 33a. of the bolt 33- which acts as a stop. v

Theoperation of the dishwashing apparatus is as follows. After the Vetl5 has been loaded articles to be washed, the cover I4. is closedand theimpeller drive motor I1 is energized by closing a suitable controlswitch which may, for example, be controlled by a knob 34 extending fromthe front wall of the cabinet. During the initialmotor starting periodthe valve control mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 3 of thedrawing. Because of the inertia of causes the motor stator to move sothat the latch lever 23 moves upwardly toward the dotted line position.However, after the motor comes up to speed, the spring 3| forces thelatch lever 26 back into engagement with the head 33a of the bolt 33which acts as a stop means. The washing fluid inlet valve I8 is thenopened by a rotary movement of the control knob 23 which, as the lever22 to pivot operating member 20 is moved inwardly and the valve Isisopened. When the free end of the latching pin 21 clears the end of thelatching lever 26, wardly under the influence of the spring 23 past theend of the lever, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The latching lever23 then locks the clockwise direction.

. those skilled in the art that various appended claims end of thewashing operation, the spring. 3| returns the stator to the initialposition and the latching lever 26 depresses the latching pin 21 in itssocket compressing spring 28. All parts of the control mechanism aretherefore returned to the initial' position shown in Fig. 3 so that theoperating sequence described above can be repeated. It will be obviousthat by adjusting the biasing force exerted by the spring 3|, the valvecan be made to close when any desired quantity of washing fluid has beenadmitted to the vat.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a simple andreliable mechanism for automatically closing the washing. fluid inletvalve of a washing machine when the desired predetermined been admittedplicity, it can be easily incorporated into dishwashing machines ofstandardfdesign. v

While I haveshown and described particular embodiments of my invention,it will occur to changes and departin aimin the to the vat. In additionto simmodiflcations, may be made without from my invention, and I,therefore,

to cover all modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of.my invention. 1

What I claim as new and desire to secure by 1. Washing apparatuscomprising a vat, :a

fluid circulating impeller in.said vat, a motorcomprising a rotor andastator, said rotor being connected to apply torque to said impeller tocause'operation thereof whereby a corresponding it spri s ups reactiontorque is exerted on said stator, a conduit for supplying washing fluidto said vat, a

valve for controlling the flow of fluid through said conduit, and meansresponsive to said reaction torque for controlling said valveto shut offthe flow of fluid into said vat when said torque attains a predeterminedhigh value.

2. Washing apparatus comprising a vat, a conduit for supplying washingfluid to said vat. a valve for'cont'rolling the flow of fluid throughsaid conduit, an impeller forcirculating washing fluid in said vat, amotor comprisinga rotor and shown in Fig. 3;

quantity of washing fluid hasthe mechanism has the advantage that suchchangesand a stator, said rotor being connected to drive said impeller,means for supporting said stator to per- -mit movement thereof inresponse to reaction torque exerted thereon, said reaction torque beingi a measure of the amount ofwashing fluid in said vat that is circulatedby said impeller, and means responsive to movement of said stator causedby said reaction torque for controlling said valve.

3. Washing apparatus'comprising a vat, a conduit for supplying washingfluid to said vat, a valve for controlling the flow of fluid throughsaid conduit, said valve being biased to the closed position, means for.latching said valve in the open DOSition', an impeller for circulatingwashing fluid in said vat, a motor comprising a rotor and a stator, saidrotor'being connected to drive said impeller, means for supporting saidstator to permit movement thereof in response to reaction torqueexertedthereon when said impeller is circulating washing fluid in saidvat and means responsive to movement of said stator caused by saidreaction torque for releasing said latching means.

4. A dishwashing machine comprising a vat, an impeller adapted to engageand circulate washing fluid in said vat, a conduit for supplying fluidto said vat, a valve for controlling the flow of fluid in said conduit,a motor comprising a stator and a rotor, said impeller being connectedto be driven by said rotor, means for supporting said stator to permitmovement thereof when thelreaction' torque exerted thereon exceeds apredetermined value corresponding to a predetermined quantity of washingfluid in said vat, and means responsive to movement of said stator forcontrolling said valve.

.5. In a dishwashing machine a vat, a motor comprising a stator and arotor, means for rotatively supporting said stator, an impellerconnected to be driven by said rotor and arranged to circulate washingfluid in said vat, said stator tending to rotate due to the reactiontorque exerted thereon, said reaction torque being a function of theamount of fluid in said vat that is circulated by said impeller, biasingmeans arranged to yieldingly oppose the rotation of said stator, aconduit for supplying washing fluid to said vat, a valve for controllingthe flow of fluid through said conduit, said valve being biased to theclosed position, means comprising a latching member for latching saidvalve in an open position, and means actuated by a rotary movement ofsaid stator when the reaction torque exerted thereon exceeds the forceof said biasing means for releasing said latching member to permit saidvalve to close whereby the amount of washing fluid supplied to said vatis limited to a predetermined quantity.

6. Washing apparatus comprising a vat, an impeller for circulatingliquid in said vat, a motor having a rotor and a stator, said rotorbeing connected to said impeller to cause operation thereof whereby acorresponding reaction torque

